How to Plant a Bamboo Screen

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How to Plant a Bamboo Screen

Overview

Bamboo is an effective and attractive screen. It helps prevent soil erosion, creates a nice habitat for little critters, and has a tropical look that jazzes up an ordinary yard. Bamboo works to create privacy from roads or neighbors and to screen unattractive elements in your yard. Planting bamboo, though somewhat labor intensive, is not complicated. Give yourself an afternoon if you're quick and have everything you need, or a weekend if you don't want to rush the process.

Step 1

Purchase pots of clumping bamboo. Spreading or running bamboo will create an effective screen, but it grows so quickly that it will soon leave its designated area and simply take over. Clumping bamboo spreads but at a slower rate; it will form a dense screen but you will be able to contain it.

Step 2

Prepare the site for your bamboo screen. Bamboo prefers a well-drained soil and full sun, so trim back any overhanging tree branches to let the sun shine in. If soil is very heavy, mix in sand and potting soil to lighten things up. If soil is very light and prone to erosion, mix in some organic compost material to give it more heft and water retention ability.

Step 3

Mark out where your bamboo clumps will go. You can plant the clumps about 12 inches apart in staggered rows for the densest plant coverage. Though you may only need a screen that is along a straight line, it's a good idea to plant bamboo 2 or 3 rows deep to make the barrier visually effective and to help block sound as well.

Step 4

Dig holes that are as deep as your bamboo clumps and twice as wide.

Step 5

Place each clump of bamboo in the prepared hole, then backfill with potting soil or compost.

Step 6

Pat the soil down firmly and water the newly planted bamboo thoroughly. Check every two days and water again if needed; bamboos need moisture. Continue checking and watering as needed for at least a month, or until the plants are well established.

Things You'll Need

Pots of clumping bamboo

Tape measure and stakes

Shovel

Water

Sand to lighten heavy soils

Potting soil or compost

References

About this Author

Annie Mueller is a professional writer and blogger. Since 2003 she has written extensively on small business, finances, parenting, education and personal growth, and has been published on Financial Edge and many other websites. Mueller attended Missouri Baptist College and earned her Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in English from Mississippi State University.